Brandeis women’s basketball coach is retiring after players threatened to quit

The development comes 10 days after the players urged Simon to resign or face the prospect of them refusing to play for her.

After Simon missed all of the 2023-24 season while on administrative leave after an investigation revealed a violation of Brandeis policies, the players were caught by surprise at the end of March to learn that she was going to be reinstated after another investigation cleared her of other violations.

The concerns cited by the players in the letter to Simon ranged from allegations of racism to fundamental problems with team management, including disregard for injured players, inadequate and poor communication, lack of team building, lack of skill building, and an absence of strategic focus on competitiveness as a collegiate team.

The players expressed that they were “unwilling to continue playing under your leadership” and that they had informed the incoming first-year student-athletes of the situation, “as transparency is critical in fostering a healthy team environment.”

The team’s strategy with the threat of not playing for her worked, players said.

“If we didn’t do what we did, we wouldn’t have gotten this outcome,” said sophomore guard Abby Kennedy. “I personally am really proud of my team. We all stuck together so well during this whole process — that was really hard to do and it definitely brought us a lot closer.

“We’re just really relieved by the outcome, very excited.”

Junior guard Lulu Ohm, thrilled that she can play one final season, also was excited by the belief that she and her teammates played a role in Friday’s news.

“It’s just good to know it was us that did it,” said Ohm. “If we didn’t step in and do something, then nothing would have happened, she’d be back coaching. We were really driving the bus. It’s a good lesson to learn, that you can fight and get what you want and what you think is right.”

Brandeis is on a spring break, with most players away from the Waltham campus. But Friday’s news spread quickly.

“Everybody knows, everybody’s super excited,” said Kennedy. “It’s blowing up the group chat.”

In an email sent to Brandeis students, faculty, and staff not long after the email to the players, Dine cited Simon’s lengthy résumé at the university, concluding, “We thank Carol for her many years of service and contributions to Brandeis and wish her well in her retirement. A search for her successor will begin shortly.”

Ohm was struck by the content and tone of the all-school email.

“I don’t care if they want to let her retire respectfully, but obviously they’re kind of honoring her at the same time,” she said. “It was just funny.

“To me, there’s been two investigations and the entire team is in anarchy against this whole thing. And then they send this email, like, ‘Thank you for her service at Brandeis, we’re going to pretend nothing just happened’?”

A Brandeis spokesperson said the school had no further comment beyond what was communicated to the players.

The email to the players said that a team meeting would be held next Wednesday to “discuss the search process for the head coaching role (including your involvement) and to answer your questions.”

That is also the last day of the transfer window for Division 3 basketball players.

Simon coached the team for 37 years, beginning in 1987-88. The team’s record was 692-647 under her. Brandeis won three ECAC Division 3 New England tournaments and made four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division 3 tournament from 2006-09.

The team’s performance declined in recent years, with one finish above .500 since 2015. In the most recent season, while Simon was on leave, the team finished 5-20 under acting head coach Jill Latanowich and assistant Lauren Rubinstein.

Michael Silverman can be reached at michael.silverman@globe.com.